by Dasun Edirisinghe

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday accused the government of undermining peace and stability achieved in May six years back. It would be a mistake on its part to adopt polices at the expense of national security, the former President said.

Rajapaksa said that he was ready to face any situation, even face death, but the government should not engage in activities that would be inimical to national security.

Former President Rajapaksa was addressing the Victory Day Celebration organised by a group of artistes in the Viharamaha Devi open air theatre with the participation of UPFA MPs, members of ranaviru families and disabled soldiers.

“The government can accuse me, jail me or kill me, but we will not allow to reverse the victory achieved by the three forces, police and the civil defence force,” Rajapaksa said, adding that the victory won six years ago wasn’t only for Sinhalese but to all citizens of the country.

The LTTE had carried out suicide attacks on Dalada Maligawa, Sri Maha Bodhiya, Kattankudy Mosque, the former President said. The LTTE also prevented people from visiting Madu shrine, he said.

Rajapaksa said that his government had never betrayed national security or called off the humanitarian mission in spite of heavy international pressure unlike its predecessors.

When his government launched the humanitarian mission in August 2006, several countries had tried to derail it, but he had continued the operation because he had confidence in the military, the police and the civil defence force, Rajapaksa said.

The former SLFP leader said that Vihara Maha Devi celebration wasn’t meant to hurt the feeling of any community, though some leaders who couldn’t defeat the LTTE propagated blatant lies to mislead the public.

Rajapaksa recalled that his government had paved the way for Tamil speaking children to go back to school. “We offered school books to them whereas the LTTE gave them cyanide capsules and guns.”

The former President said that his government had continued with the humanitarian mission in the face of a world food crisis, fuel crisis and several other problems, but nobody had died without food. “We sent food and medicine to LTTE controlled areas, too, and saved over 200,000 civilians the LTTE had used as a human shield.”

The former President said immediately after the conclusion of the war, the previous government had launched a mega development drive, but today the yahapalanaya administration couldn’t even pay the salaries of public servants.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda and 35 UPFA MPs participated in the ceremony.

Courtesy:The Island